Police have been used by politicians as tools of oppression. Should they have guns to fight terrorists?


This Writer has what may be termed a very ‘British’ aversion to weapons such as guns being put in the hands of the police.

Perhaps that aversion is particularly strong in people of my generation because we have seen police used as political weapons by Conservative governments, in situations where they have put down protest against the Tories (and also perfectly peaceful events that merely offended Tory sensibilities) in the most brutal manner.

Do we really want to put guns in police hands and then let them do the bidding of the current Conservative Government – which is more dedicated to the restriction of our rights as citizens than any in living memory?

I fear the possibility of terrorist attacks on UK soil will be used as a means of instilling terror in the population.

Yet the possibility of terrorist attack remains.

Logic suggests that the armed forces could be deployed against terrorists on home soil. It was the policy in Northern Ireland and, while some could argue the circumstances were different, this argument mitigates more in favour of using the forces in the current situation.

Does anyone have better alternatives?

Britain’s regional cities are highly vulnerable to Paris-style terror attacks because they lack the 24/7 armed police cover given to London, the home secretary has been warned by police chiefs co-ordinating counter-terrorism.

Officers at Scotland Yard have briefed Theresa May that “dedicated armed assets” outside the capital are sparse. An exercise carried out by the National Counter-Terrorism Command aimed at examining how the UK’s police would respond to a simultaneous attack on London, Birmingham and a smaller provincial city has further highlighted the perils. A Scotland Yard source said: “Ask a regional force how long it would take them to respond to a terror attack and watch them squirm.”

The revelation comes in the wake of reports that the mastermind of the Paris terror attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, visited the UK on a false passport. It was reported he may have been in Kent before meeting fellow extremists in London. It was earlier reported that he had photographs of Birmingham landmarks on his phone and that he had called numbers belonging to Moroccans there.

Seven terror plots in the UK have been foiled in the past six months alone; the current threat level is “severe”. Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said: “It is essential that all our major cities have 24/7 protection from attack. If this is true, it suggests there are worrying gaps in our ability to respond.”

Source: Lack of armed police ‘leaves UK regions open to terrorist attack’ | UK news | The Guardian

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9 thoughts on “Police have been used by politicians as tools of oppression. Should they have guns to fight terrorists?

  1. Terry Davies

    no guns for police is an absolute necessity to avoid future problems. remember guns can be taken away when police are disarmed by criminals, or police inadvertently make them accessible to the public by negligence etc.
    if more guns are issued its more costly for taxpayers , more likelihood of guns getting into wrong hands, more likelihood of police closing ranks when incidents occur and a likely increase in guns being used in criminal activities.No No No No.

  2. Josef K

    Apart from the illusion that armed police would make things safer (and I don’t buy into that at all) I’m not sure what the purpose of them would be.

    The 4 people who carried out 7/7 would not have been stopped by armed police, they didn’t look unusual on any CCTV that caught them beforehand so could be accepted that armed coppers wouldn’t have made an impact there. Going back in time, the Canary Wharf bomb, Bishopsgate, Manchester, warrington all would have happened with armed coppers about.

    In fact the only ones to have fear of armed coppers are electricians of a dusky appearance going to work as normal.

    The other thing it does tick is another box of the 14 areas that specify a fascist state.

  3. Thomas

    It depends on what is the greater and more likely evil, terrorists running amok or our unpleasant government. Since ordinary citizens are not allowed to bear arms, we need someone who legally can so they can fight armed terrorists.

  4. mohandeer

    Entirely agree Mike. I have a greater fear of police with weapons than the terrorists. When there was a demonstration outside No.10 there were armed snipers on the rooftops opposite which was for me, a monstrous situation. What were they going to do, if the demonstration got violent? Shoot them? They admitted to having live rounds, so why have live rounds if they only wanted surveillance – felt more like target practice and intimidation. ~We already have armed response units, that is enough. Several people have already made comment on the fact that armed police would not be a deterrant but would instil terror in our own streets. The army, far from being deployed God knows where, are the ones who have the training to use weapons and it is they who should be patrolling the streets in a state of life threatening civil unrest or Jihadist invasion.

  5. Mr.Angry

    Sadly under this government this will become the norm, I reside in North Wales there is a gun club / rifle range used by the Police just over the mountain. One could hear the gunshots each Wednesday, in recent months the range is in use every day of the week and it is not just pistol fire it is automatic weapons being used all day long.

    So I can only imagine this is something we better get used to even if we don’t agree with it.

  6. Michael Broadhurst

    our ” unpleasant ” government Mike,despicible,lying,crafty,underhand,murdering,callous,fascist
    pigs would be too kind a description for this shower.

Comments are closed.